


Macbeth

by delicatelyglitterywriter



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Humor, the doctor is still salty about those witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-11 08:59:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16472549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delicatelyglitterywriter/pseuds/delicatelyglitterywriter
Summary: Clara likes to practice her lessons on the Doctor. Today's lesson is about 'Macbeth'.





	Macbeth

**Author's Note:**

> Just a silly little thing I threw together. Hope you like it :)

“You’re late,” Clara scolded as the Doctor ran into the library, throwing himself into his chair.

“Yes, yes, I know,” the Doctor apologised, out of breath. “I lost track of time.”

Clara huffed a laugh. “Time Lords losing track of time. Never won't be funny. Okay, let’s get started.”

The Doctor wiggled in his chair, excited, pulling out the desk attached. “So, what are we learning today, teacher?”

Clara smiled at his enthusiasm, turning to the whiteboard. She loved practicing on him; he made her far less nervous about her lesson plan when he was down for basically anything.

“Today, Doctor, you get to learn about the wonderful world of Shakespeare!”

“Shakespeare?” the Doctor exclaimed, bouncing in his seat. “I met Shakespeare once, you know.”

Clara looked impressed. “Really?”

“Yep. Saved the world from witches with him and everything. Saw the premiere of Love’s Labour’s Lost, too!”

Clara raised her eyebrows. “Really? Was it all that?”

The Doctor thought a moment, then shook his head. “Nah. Although, it _was_ pretty cool seeing Shakespeare walk onto stage after Martha shouted ‘author’. She’s actually the one who started the tradition of shouting ‘author’, you know.”

“Martha...which one was that? Was that the blonde?”

“No. That’s Rose you’re thinking of. Martha was - well, I should say _is_ , she’s still alive - she is Black, and loves jeans and a casual singlet top. Denim jacket. Hair often in a high ponytail.”

“Ah, that woman. Did she like the trip?”

The Doctor nodded. “Loved it. And Shakespeare loved her, too. The Dark Lady sonnets.”

Clara’s eyes widened. “No way.”

“Way.”

“That is so cool!”

The Doctor grinned. “I know. Anyway, what were you gonna teach me about Shakespeare?”

“Right. Lesson. _Macbeth_.”

Clara turned back to the board. “What can you tell me about _Macbeth_ , Doctor?”

“I can recite the whole work to you right now, if you’d like.”

Clara whirled around. “Wait, you’ve _memorised_ the _entire_ play?”

The Doctor shrugged. “I got bored.”

Clara rolled her eyes. “Of course you did. So, plot down, understanding of Elizabethan English, personal friend of Shakespeare...what can you tell me about the themes of the play?”

“Don’t listen to witches,” the Doctor answered without hesitation. “Nasty lot, witches. Look at what they did to Macbeth! Drove him mad! Back when I was visiting Shakespeare, one of them stopped one of my hearts with those things you humans call ‘voodoo dolls’. She knocked out Martha, too! Power of a Name! Now, Power of a Name, that’s a nasty-”

“ _Doctor_!” Clara cut him off. He snapped back into it and shook his head.

“Right, sorry. Rambling.”

Clara smiled and rolled her eyes again. “Yes, you are. And ‘don’t talk to witches’ would probably fall under ‘morals’ rather than ‘themes’. Looks like we’re going to have to work on that difference.”

“There’s a _difference_? But, but, but, aren’t they both things you get out of a story?”

“Well, kind of,” Clara explained, turning to the whiteboard, beginning to write. “They’re both something you can get out of a story, but they’re two distinct elements. The moral is the lesson you can learn from the story. So, for example, it’s like you said: something we can learn from _Macbeth_ is to not trust witches.

“A theme, on the other hand, is closer to a political statement, rather than a lesson learned. It’s woven through the whole story, and provides commentary on a particular issue. Make sense?”

Clara turned to the Doctor, who nodded, then shook his head. “No, not really.”

Clara tapped her marker against her chin, looking back at the board. How could she explain this? All the kids she’d taught had known the difference, so she’d never had to explain it before.

“Oh, I know! Are you familiar with the ‘pineapple pizza’ debate? How some people like it, some people think it’s an abomination?”

Clara turned in time to catch the Doctor’s grimace. “Painfully, yes.”

Clara raised her eyebrows. That had to be an interesting story. She filed it away under Things To Ask The Doctor About, Later.

“Right, so a theme is kind of like that. An issue that lets people pick sides, and then instead of writing an essay and providing examples of why you’re on the side you’re on, you demonstrate it in the story. In essence, they’re the author’s opinions making their way into the story, but they’re always worded in a neutral way. So, they theme wouldn’t be pro or anti pineapple pizza, it would simply be pineapple pizza.”

The Doctor sat silently as he processed the information.

“Does that make sense?”

“Yes, I think I get it now,” he said slowly. “So, moral: don’t listen to witches, theme: witchcraft.”

“You are really stuck on these witches.” Clara shook her head. “But yes, that’s the general idea.”

“I keep telling ou, Clara, witches are awful!”

“Yes, I get the point, Doctor, I’ll make sure to steer clear of witches. Now can we move away from witches and onto the rest of _Macbeth_?”

“Fine,” the Doctor relented. “No more witches.”

“Thank you. So, can you think of any other themes?”

**Author's Note:**

> so, yeah, kids. if you ever see a witch, run.


End file.
